A political prisoner released

Following consistent efforts by the Global Campaign for Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB) in collaboration with international organisations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, some of the prisoners begin to be released. 

GCRPPB said that one of the 38 known Bhutanese political prisoners Madhukar Monger, was released on 9 August 2023, after almost 30 years of his arrest in 1994. He was 26 years old at the time of the arrest. 

Monger safely reached his brother’s home in the Bhutanese refugee camp Beldangi in Eastern Nepal on 11 August 2023. He was deported to India by escorting Royal Bhutan Police personnel on 9 August 2023. Mongar is currently staying with broker Nar Bahadur. The rest of his family and relatives have moved overseas under a third-country resettlement programme. Dil Kumar Rai is another closest friend Mongar met in camp with him he spent years in jail. Rai was released in 2017.

Mongar was arrested on 11 February 1994 when he travelled to Bhutan from camp to meet his relatives. He was sentenced to life plus 21 years of prison for his involvement in political activities. Since then, he was serving his sentence at Chemgang Central Prison, Thimphu. He had met only once to his wife since the arrest.

“We want to thank Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Nepalese Media, and everyone for supporting our campaign to help release Bhutanese political prisoners. We fully hope such support continues till every Bhutanese political prisoner is released from Bhutanese prisons,” GCRPPB said.

GCRPPB also reiterated its request to the King of Bhutan to grant amnesty to all the Bhutanese political prisoners without further delay.